Dog euthanized after machete attack; man arrested for animal cruelty

PHOENIX -- A Phoenix man was arrested Wednesday on animal cruelty charges after police say he hit a neighbor's dog with a machete.

The 1-year-old pit bull named Armani was transported to the Arizona Humane Society where it was determined the dog was too gravely injured to be save and it was euthanized.

According to the Phoenix Police Department, Terry Lee Hubbard's live-in girlfriend had been taking items out to her car when she was allegedly attacked by the dog. She returned to her apartment and told Hubbard, who grabbed a 2-1/2-foot machete and left the apartment.

Officer James Holmes said Hubbard, 48, chased the dog through the apartment complex. At one point, he began yelling to Armani to "come on, come on" and the dog turned toward him. At that time, Hubbard struck the dog on the head with the machete.

Based on Hubbard's account of the incident and statements from witnesses, officers determined that the woman had not been injured in any way by the dog.

"Mr. Hubbard made the conscious choice to leave his apartment, chase the animal and, when the animal turned on him, strike the animal with the machete," Holmes said.

Police said Hubbard had been having an ongoing dispute with the dog's owner about it being loose in their apartment complex near Roosevelt and Seventh streets.

Hubbard had been bitten by the dog in April and there was a loose animal complaint from him on May 5. Maricopa County Animal Care and Control said the dog was quarantined for the April bite and was properly registered and licensed.